It’s been awhile since I have written on here as I’ve dedicated this year to a rehabilitation program for my injured feet and it’s finally paying off! All my recent blogs have been very personal to me and this one shall be no different.
I returned to my clinics in January 2016 full of renewed energy after spending Christmas and New Year travelling with my family to Kenya – the place of my birth. It was the first time in 40 years that my 2 brothers and my Mum had returned together after having left. It was quite an emotional visit and made me think how my life would have turned out had we not emigrated. I definitely wouldn’t have been a McTimoney Chiropractor in a third world country as my father would not have been able to afford the training and it’s very likely that we would not have even heard of McTimoney in Kenya like so many of its residents.
The trip was an incredible experience where we travelled through the countryside on rough roads full of potholes in fear of being ambushed as we had heard so many frightening stories; ferry crossings of 15 minutes that were overcrowded with vehicles, passengers and poultry and the fear of the ferry capsizing. Fortunately there were no incidents on the roads or the sea crossing; we didn’t encounter a single problem apart from water shortages and power cuts which added to the whole adventure of being in Africa.
“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
Nelson Mandela
On returning we all needed McTimoney Chiropractic to straighten us up as the journeys in the African plains were quite arduous and exhausting and at the same time exhilarating. The rest over the holiday season helped immensely with my feet and whilst I’m not 100% I’m continually improving. Progress has felt slow at times but I’m really beginning to understand that “ torn tendons” take time to heal – a year minimum if its severe, thereby confirming “healing is a process and not an event.”
So going back to the last 9 months – these have been continually about rehabilitation, rest and running my clinics with the same passion as always.
The rehabilitation has come in many guises from physiotherapists that have shown me specific stretches and exercises to strapping the feet in Kinesio tape, a “taping technique” that is designed to facilitate the body’s natural healing process while providing support and stability to muscles and joints without restricting the body’s range of motion. Many professional athletes are using “taping” in their sports.
My sessions with my personal trainer Michael Prentice have primarily been about improving the functioning of the feet and legs, through improving proprioception in my ankles, overall balance, core strengthening to improve my posture further, learning how to walk again correctly and strength training in my legs using weights. Naturally as any brilliant trainer our sessions were about working the entire body but focussing on the legs. By dedicating 3 hrs a week minimum to rehabilitation I was able to continue with treating my clients to maximum capacity – this was a dramatic improvement from last year when I had to reduce my work load due to wearing an air cast boot. Despite my injuries I have been able to swim 100 lengths straight in a 25 metre pool which equates 1.5 miles, (I prefer backstroke) as it’s great for alignment, cycle on an exercise bike (great for cardio and stretching/toning the legs), rowing (beneficial for endurance, cardio and upper and body workout) and amazingly I performed a “deadlift” of 80kgs – a wonderful boost for my confidence and morale as well as working the muscles of the back, glutes and legs.
The rehabilitation has worked beautifully and reinstates my belief as a McTimoney Chiropractor. It works on alignment, posture and confidence and all activities are balanced and not one sided. It helps to iron out any “compensating” effects of the body whereby I may be favouring one side of the body more – in my case the right side as I am right handed and also as my cast was on my left leg.
Exercise doesn’t have to come in the form of personal trainers or expensive gym memberships. It can come from walking outdoors, going to the local pool, and in some parks there are now out door gym equipment available. I’ve always felt that exercise and McTimoney work in tandem, side by side, used in prevention, maintenance and rehabilitation if injured. Throughout this year I have continued to have sessions myself so to aid my recovery from the torn tendon, My clients that are still having sessions on maintenance and prevention twice a year confirm that their posture, mobility/flexibility continues to improve and more than anything they feel well in themselves.
When you are passionate about your life, your work and your health everything falls into place eventually – yes even my injuries start to heal. I was told by the surgeons that I would never recover and I would end up having surgery for the torn tendon and develop a permanent “dropped foot”. Thankfully I refused to believe them and with the support of the right people, and having the right mind set of positivity I am proving them wrong. If I can do it anyone can!!
“Healing takes courage, and we all have courage even if we have to dig a little to find it.”
Tori Ames
